So...the Big Bang, huh?

[krebscout]

The Big Bang, by way of Elder Nelson...did that make anybody else tug at their necklines?

[Katya]

It is God who orchestrated the “big bang” 20 billion years ago and set the universe on its way. He it is who devised, promulgated, and now enforces the laws of nature with never-failing accuracy and consistency. -Henry B. Eyring

I think I'll go with that quote, instead.

[Eirene]

Hah...I thought that was such a weird thing to say in Conference. Hopefully that gets edited before publication to sound more like an affirmation of God's control over the universe and less like an old-fashioned attack on a particular scientific theory.

I also liked how when Elder Christofferson spoke right after that, he included a little thing about how we need to use the Spirit to discern between the opinions of our leaders and actual doctrine.

[Fredjikrang]

I think it came across differently than he intended. I did raise my eyebrow a bit though.

[NerdGirl]

Okay, what did he actually say? All the astronomers are freaking out about it on facebook, but I was on a plane so I missed all of today.

[Fredjikrang]

I can't quote it, but he was talking about how our bodies, the world, etc. are evidences of a creator, and then said something about how some people attribute it to a "big bang." (And he said it with a little bit of a laugh.)

[krebscout]

He went on to say that a big bang can no more create us than an explosion in a print shop can create a dictionary...but Elder Nelson's talk doesn't hold a candle to Ballard's. I hate to admit it, but I was downright cringing.

And then Elder Wilson gave his WONDERFUL talk and made me feel better.

[Fredjikrang]

What didn't you like in Elder Ballard's talk? I might not have been paying much attention, but what I heard I thought was pretty good.

[Indefinite Integral]

I liked elder Nelson's talk except for the "big bang" printing shop explosion bit. I feel like he may have meant to talk about if the big bang were undirected, but he didn't actually say that. The moment he said it I knew non-scientific people would be quoting it right and left on facebook and making us look like idiots.

I was very surprised because in my opinion Elder Nelson is very intelligent and otherwise well-spoken.

[Craig Jessop]

On a semi-related note, did anybody else think that Elder Scott's talk would have been CRAY-CRAY if it had come from anybody else? Especially in a sacrament meeting? The whole "God uses the dead in our dreams to give us messages" thing really reminded me of some of the crazier people I met on my mission.

[Whistler]

all I know is that my dream about longboarding was DEFINITELY a sign for me to pick up that hobby. So fun!

[Gimgimno]

I'm with Craig--but from Elder Scott, it seemed completely normal. There are a few others among the brethren who could have said that and I wouldn't have raised an eyebrow, but not many. If there's anyone who hasn't noticed that he has been particularly mournful and communicative with his late wife during the last few years, they haven't been listening to his talks.

Elder Nelson's talk sort of made me tug at my neckline--absolutely. But I'll be curious to see what changes, if any, are reflected in the text versions that will be released this Thursday or Friday. I imagine skeptics of the Church will cry foul if it's softened just like they did with President Packer last year and many talks in the years before that, but it's hard for me to stare at a paper I've spent 30 hours on and see grammatical errors, much less flaws or unclear language, when the ideas in my head are so clear. I'm with Eirene, though--I think an uncontrolled, God-free Big Bang theory is what he was taking issue with (a la Richard Dawkins or post-2010 Stephen Hawking)--not the Big Bang in general.

Also, Elder Ballard's talk--I don't think he was trying to be political at all, but it did come across a little bit that way. I wasn't really a fan of that. He must have a family-related committee assignment, because he's talked about mothers and families for the last several conferences. That was never a particular point of emphasis for him in years previous (he was always the missionary work apostle, probably in part because he chaired that committee for probably five or ten years).

I really enjoyed President Hallstrom, Elder Wilson, and Elder Baxter this time around. (Elder Baxter in part because he spoke at our stake conference a few weeks ago, and he talked about single people and single-parent families in the adult session--it's obviously been on his mind.) I also thought President Packer was much more tender this conference than he has been in years, and I was happy to see Elder Hales back on his feet. I really admire him, so I hope he has a while longer to stick around.

I was also happy to hear that Elder Whiting got called to the First Quorum. He was the Area Seventy in Hawaii on my mission and I had several conversations with him when I was over there. The man is more cerebral than just about anyone that I've ever spoken to, and has unbelievable spiritual intensity. We'll probably hear from him in October or next April, and then you'll see what I mean. He kind of reminds me of Elder Pearson.

[Katya]

I'm with Eirene, though--I think an uncontrolled, God-free Big Bang theory is what he was taking issue with (a la Richard Dawkins or post-2010 Stephen Hawking)--not the Big Bang in general.

It also didn't help that he conflated the Big Bang with evolution as well as reducing the latter to . . . dictionary explosions?

Also, Elder Ballard's talk--I don't think he was trying to be political at all, but it did come across a little bit that way. I wasn't really a fan of that.

Elder Ballard's talk boils down to family and service, which I'm all for, but some of his reasoning and justifications were awful. Not only is prosperity gospel false, but it kicks the poor while they're down by implying that they're also unrighteous and he seems to have completely misunderstood the difference between correlation and causation when citing the social data. (And then there were the swipes against single people, working women, and working mothers—Thanks!)

However, my short-term goal is to focus on the good things in conference instead of the bad so I'll, um, get right back to that.

[wired]

When Elder Nelson spoke about the Big Bang, I told my wife, "You know, I don't really like how he's approaching that." Her perception of her comments were what IndefInteg mentioned: he was specifically attacking an undirected creation theory. But, listening to how he said it, you would definitely get the impression that anyone who believed in the Big Bang -directed or undirected - was, at the very least, silly.

I mentioned the correlation/causation thing to my wife during Elder Ballard's talk and she looked at me and said, "Well you've got a lot problems with conference today, don't you?" in a light-hearted way.

[Fredjikrang]

I guess I don't really see any significant difference between correlation and causation in this case. People with families are "more successful." Why should I care if it is causation or correlation? Also, I don't see this as "kicking the poor while they are down." But then again, as I said, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. I'll have to watch it again.

(The videos are up on LDS.org for all of the sessions, including priesthood.)

[TheAnswerIs42]

I also thought the big bang part was a bit off, but there were other parts I thought were poorly worded as well. Telling a couple that found out they can't have kids they are "fortunate" reminded me of the recent Bro Bott quote. And I really didn't like the " saying 'let me know if I can help' is no help at all" bit either. I have had people say that to me a lot in the last month, and I really appreciate that. I can assure them we are doing great and stash that info for when I do need a playdate for my kids or whatever. I have never been good at knowing by my psychic powers what people need, so often the best I can do is talk to them and say "let me know if I can watch your kids/ help you pack / bring you dinner etc sometime". But I guess now that is worthless in his eyes?

[Fredjikrang]

Man, if I didn't know better than I would think that I am surrounded by cynics. ;D

Yes, any quote taken out of context can be taken badly. Such is the world that we live in. I don't think that is something that is even worth bringing up at this point.

I personally liked his example of asking for help. I made special note of it, actually, because of recent experience. It seemed pretty obvious to me that he was talking about moments in which it is obvious that someone needs help. I mean, just think of the example that he used. Asking someone who is drowning if they need help. Of course they do! So stop asking and get in there!

This does not mean that asking someone if they need help is always worthless. TheAnswerIs42 gives an excellent example of that. (Though I would like to point out that most of the time people will say no, even if they could use help. So again, if we can see some way to help someone, it is better to help them than to ask.)

[Craig Jessop]

I was also happy to hear that Elder Whiting got called to the First Quorum. He was the Area Seventy in Hawaii on my mission and I had several conversations with him when I was over there. The man is more cerebral than just about anyone that I've ever spoken to, and has unbelievable spiritual intensity. We'll probably hear from him in October or next April, and then you'll see what I mean. He kind of reminds me of Elder Pearson.

His daughter is in my ward. She's amazing, but I wouldn't call her cerebral. However, whoever is able to raise a daughter that turns out like her has to be an incredible person.

[C is for]

I was also happy to hear that Elder Whiting got called to the First Quorum. He was the Area Seventy in Hawaii on my mission and I had several conversations with him when I was over there. The man is more cerebral than just about anyone that I've ever spoken to, and has unbelievable spiritual intensity. We'll probably hear from him in October or next April, and then you'll see what I mean. He kind of reminds me of Elder Pearson.

His daughter is in my ward. She's amazing, but I wouldn't call her cerebral. However, whoever is able to raise a daughter that turns out like her has to be an incredible person.

Marry her, Craig.

[Dead Cat]

Yes, any...world that we live in...[isn't] something that is even worth...this point.

Because this quote is awesome and totally what you meant, Fredji?